hells_half_acre (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
hells_half_acre) wrote2014-05-30 01:49 pm
hells_half_acre) wrote2014-05-30 01:49 pm
Entry tags:
To canon-AU or not to canon-AU....
My next month of ficlets is nearly upon us. If you want to leave me a prompt and haven't yet done so, head on over to my previous post.
Now, while we're on the topic of fanfic, let me complain to you about my current canon/fanfic troubles...
My main problem is that I want to write another demented'verse fic. I have had an opening all prepared (in my head) for the past two-three years... the problem is that timeline-wise, in order to use that opening, it pretty much has to be set in S9. I kept hoping that SPN would give me a good window and plot idea... but, alas, I've got nothing.
So, now my question is: Do I go AU? The last demented'verse fic I wrote was set in S7, so I'd have to catch up that time anyway, and, I think anyone who read my rewatch of S8 has probably realized that I had a lot of problems with the first half of that season. So, on the one hand, this could be my chance to change things a little...
...On the other hand, once you start changing things, where do you stop? How much do you change things? HOW do you change things? Do I still just run into the same problems?
The problem I have with AU, and the reason I very seldom write it, is because working within the constructs of canon gives me limits that I can use to form my plots... and I'm just not sure how good my writing would be without those enforced parameters. Also, going AU would remove the short-hand that I rely on with the readers, where I don't have to explain what Sam and Dean are currently working through, because the readers already know. That's what makes crossovers fun, after all - it's that half of your characters know things the other half don't, and you can have tons of double-meaning dialogue, where the reader is in on all the secrets without my having to explain what those secrets are.
Part of me is thinking I should just forget it. Put that 'verse to bed. Because if I can't think of a plot that fits, maybe that's just the end of it then. But, then, another part of me is pissed off because if I was going to end the 'verse, I'd have preferred to end on Seers, Souls and Scandinavians, rather than Brains and Bones, because SSS had a much better ending, IMO, and would have served as a brilliant 'verse ending. I remember struggling with the decision to write Brains and Bones for that reason, but in the end I did... and now I'm wondering if I shouldn't've.
Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
TL;DR: Struggling to write another demented'verse fic. Not sure if I should stick to my canon-nazi ways. AU is a slippery slope.
Now, while we're on the topic of fanfic, let me complain to you about my current canon/fanfic troubles...
My main problem is that I want to write another demented'verse fic. I have had an opening all prepared (in my head) for the past two-three years... the problem is that timeline-wise, in order to use that opening, it pretty much has to be set in S9. I kept hoping that SPN would give me a good window and plot idea... but, alas, I've got nothing.
So, now my question is: Do I go AU? The last demented'verse fic I wrote was set in S7, so I'd have to catch up that time anyway, and, I think anyone who read my rewatch of S8 has probably realized that I had a lot of problems with the first half of that season. So, on the one hand, this could be my chance to change things a little...
...On the other hand, once you start changing things, where do you stop? How much do you change things? HOW do you change things? Do I still just run into the same problems?
The problem I have with AU, and the reason I very seldom write it, is because working within the constructs of canon gives me limits that I can use to form my plots... and I'm just not sure how good my writing would be without those enforced parameters. Also, going AU would remove the short-hand that I rely on with the readers, where I don't have to explain what Sam and Dean are currently working through, because the readers already know. That's what makes crossovers fun, after all - it's that half of your characters know things the other half don't, and you can have tons of double-meaning dialogue, where the reader is in on all the secrets without my having to explain what those secrets are.
Part of me is thinking I should just forget it. Put that 'verse to bed. Because if I can't think of a plot that fits, maybe that's just the end of it then. But, then, another part of me is pissed off because if I was going to end the 'verse, I'd have preferred to end on Seers, Souls and Scandinavians, rather than Brains and Bones, because SSS had a much better ending, IMO, and would have served as a brilliant 'verse ending. I remember struggling with the decision to write Brains and Bones for that reason, but in the end I did... and now I'm wondering if I shouldn't've.
Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
TL;DR: Struggling to write another demented'verse fic. Not sure if I should stick to my canon-nazi ways. AU is a slippery slope.
no subject
It's mainly that I can't decide if I want to factor in the Kevin storyline or not... and it's true, Sam would probably still be self-sacrificial even without Dean's anger... and probably the latter half of S8 would still play out the same.
It's mainly the Kevin storyline that I'm not sure how to deal with... and then trying to figure out how to fit the story that I actually WANT to write into s9... that's the main trouble. I'm not actually that worried about the "catch-up" part of the story... it's figuring out the plot and story of the s9 portion, do I want that to be AU? If so, HOW MUCH of an AU? Do I want to completely diverge from canon or stick to it? If I completely diverge what would that mean for future stories? Or should I find a way to put this 'verse to rest once and for all?
no subject
In my experience, AUs tend to work best when they keep the themes of the original even if they don't use the exact same events. I'm not sure what that would mean for your plot, but maybe it's helpful?
no subject
The main problem is that I really just can't think of a good plot for a story. I can think of the "meet-cute" that would bring the two universes together again, but that's all. So, maybe it's not even a problem of me going AU or not, it's just a problem of not having any ideas for plot regardless.